Category: Sex Education

So in what can’t be a surprise to anyone, the Juno of Alaska will now remain a single mom. See this is what happens when parents are embroiled in their own problems or are singularly focused on their career ambitions and fail their children. Mama Palin was trying to win America’s Next President contest against John McCain for the soul of the Republican Party, pulling her best stint from All About Eve. I won’t put all of the blame on her, for the First Gentleman of Alaska or whatever he’s called didn’t seem to be running the show. So we see what happens when some people focus on controlling a woman’s womb and worship the idea of motherhood but don’t do anything about supporting mothers and their children or making sure there’s an active male participating from the beginning either.

For all of the religious talk about how evil premarital sex is, there’s an insistence by some adults (and institutions) at keeping kids dumb in an effort to limit their choices. So they make the “right” choice and abstain from sex. As you know kids having sex will lead to the fall of the Empire. Not sexual abuse, drug use, lack of resources or a poor education. Since when does knowing facts about reproduction and diseases as well as an understanding of female/male interactions give the green light for wanton behavior? It only breeds ignorance where people don’t think critically about their choices but repeat ideas they’ve heard as “proof” of following the right(eous) path.

How about instilling in kids a sense of purpose and arming them with tools to negotiate their way through their childhood and society at large? I mean isn’t that what we all need? Values and religious dogma are not the same thing. Then girls wouldn’t be so easily swayed by sweet talk from boys – and increasingly older men. Kids might be able to explore their growing sexuality without shame and could make more informed choices. Sometimes first love is fleeting but you don’t want to be left with anything other than memories.

Now despite an unplanned pregnancy Bristol Palin is still in a much better position than most other young women her age. We’re to assume it was a consensual relationship and at least her parents aren’t broke and she has her entire life in front of her. It’s just that maybe she might have chosen differently had she been more mature and not had religious dogma foisted on her. When people operate in absolutes the results are often extreme.

Having parenthood foisted upon people doesn’t always result in a moment of clarity. It can be disastrous for the child being unplanned for and growing up around those unprepared or unwilling to provide for her/him emotionally and financially. Bristol’s pregnancy was an almost entirely preventable situation had she not been used by her parents for Republican talking points and votes. There was no guarantee of course. But the odds of getting into that situation is greatly increased when people essentially roll the dice, hoping for the best. Or grab a national spotlight based on false pretenses. It eventually gets exposed as a sham. Lust and newness fade away and people who were never really committed to each other to begin with won’t necessarily stay together because they’ve created life. Ending a romantic relationship isn’t a pleasant experience under the most ideal circumstances. It’s far worse under the glare of national media attention.

Let’s hope we won’t be seeing the continued circus side show antics of this child along with the Suleman 8 due to the parent’s desire for attention. Then we can stop gawking at the kids and judging the parents for their imperfect choices.